One Giant Monkey

Thanks to everyone for your kind words, prayers, and considerations concerning my grandmother. I got to see her this weekend, and I'll be joining her for lunch on Saturday...with my mom. That will be a challenge, but at least we're getting to spend some time together.

On a more festive note, Alastair turned 1 yesterday! Yippee!!!

We had a wonderful festive weekend. Saturday, he and I went to spend some time with my grandmother. He did all of his tricks, from razzberrying my belly to his culturally insensitive indian-war-woop to standing and flailing. I knew she wouldn't be at his party on Sunday, so I wanted her to get some time watching him be goofy. It was fun.

Sunday was the main event, though. He had his first birthday party at his Grammy & Pappy's house at 1pm, an hour before he usually goes down for his afternoon nap. He was also over 40 minutes late starting his lunch, so I thought we might be in for a difficult afternoon. I couldn't have been more wrong. He was a super charmer, enjoying most of his presents from the moment the wrapping paper was removed. He really loved his banana cake, which wound up making a huge mess all over the floor, and he motored around from room to room for hours.

In the end, it was almost exactly 2 hours after he usually gets his nap that he finally got to bed, and he came through it like a champ. Only a couple of minutes of fussing.

Sunday night I spent some time getting his toys ready for Monday, his actual birthday. And boy did he have some fun with them. Amanda tracked down one of those big activity blocks that baby can stand next to, one with a the bead tracks looping over the top. He must have pushed beads around for over an hour, and he just kept walking round and round the thing.

He also discovered the song his Little People airplane plays, and he couldn't get enough of that. There was the FridgeFarm, his new RadioFlyer roadster, his walk-behind convertible car, and a singing caterpillar, and all were smash hits. He hasn't had a chance to absorb all of his new toys, but he will. And if he can ever stop motoring around long enough, I'm sure he'll have a great time with all of them.

Thanks to those who came out in the crappy weather on Sunday, and thanks to everyone who's been part of his and our lives for the last year. It's been a wild ride, and we're frankly amazed he's survived this long.

He's a great little guy, and I can't wait to see what's next (his kisses are the best!).